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It's been a long and sad year for hockey fans. Ever since the NHL lockout started last year, the future of professional hockey has been in question. Thankfully, players and owners finally settled their differences, and in just a couple of weeks players will be back on the ice to start the 2006 season. Of course, with a new season comes a new round of video games. And with the NHL being one of the only sports leagues not signed to an exclusive video-game contract, the competition for the ice is about to heat up.

Last year's ESPN NHL 2k5 was widely regarded as the best hockey game on the market. Its solid gameplay mechanics, sharp graphics, and excellent presentation gave fans of the sport just about everything they could have asked for in a video game for a budget price of around twenty bucks. Although NHL 2k6 lost the ESPN license, the improvements in this year's release more than make up for it. Plus, NHL 2k6 is the first video game to incorporate the new rules adopted by the NHL this year. Among these new rules are the addition of a post-overtime shootout (if needed) to ensure no ties in regular season games, the removal of two-line pass penalties, and a new trapezoid-shaped goaltender trap zone.

Along with the addition of these new rules, NHL 2k6 also adds a few new features to the franchise. The first of these is Pro Control. By clicking on the right thumbstick, the player pulls up a series of pass icons targeting nearby teammates. By pressing the corresponding button, the player quickly shoots the puck to his intended receiver. A quick double tap of the button will also cause the receiver to perform a quick one-timer. The player can also use the right thumbstick to control things like lobs, dumps, and protects while the Pro Control is active.

Other new features in NHL2k6 include On-The-Fly Coaching, which lets the player direct the rest of his team to perform specific actions via the D-pad, and a new Enforcer system, which rewards physical play by throwing opponents off their game. By constantly using the more physical players in confrontations with the opposing teams, the player can rattle the nerves of a player from the other team, causing a substantial stat drop for a limited time.